Milena

Milena is a female first name that was adopted from the Czech region in the 1930s. It represents the feminine form of Milan and is particularly common in countries such as Italy, Spain, and the Czech Republic. Translated, the name means 'the Kind', 'the Loving', 'the Pleasant', 'the Gentle', 'the Amiable', or 'the Gracious'.

What does the name Milena mean?

The name Milena has its roots in Old Slavic and derives from the Slavic word milŭ ‎(милъ) or mil (мил), which means 'kind', 'dear', 'nice', 'pleasant', 'benevolent', 'loving', 'gracious', 'amiable', 'gentle', and 'mild'. A Hungarian variant of the name is Miléna. Other spellings include Milana, Milenna, Mylena, Mylana, Milanka, Milane, Millane, Milangela, Milanda, Milanja, and Milada. Male forms of the name include Milano, Milanko, and Milann. The name gained prominence particularly through Milena Vukotić (1847–1923), the mother-in-law of King Victor Emmanuel. The work 'Letters to Milena' by Franz Kafka also contributed to the name's popularity.

Where does the name Milena come from?

The origin of the name Milena is Old Slavic and encompasses meanings such as 'the Gracious' or 'the Kind'. The Old Slavic root milŭ or mil stands for terms like kind, dear, nice, pleasant, benevolent, loving, gracious, amiable, gentle, and mild. The name is widespread in several languages, including Italian, Polish, Swiss, Slavic, Slovak, Spanish, Czech, and Hungarian.

How do you pronounce Milena?

The name Milena is melodic and consists of three to four syllables. In German pronunciation, it is usually pronounced as 'Mi-le-na' [miˈleːna], with the middle syllable emphasized with a long 'e'. The open 'a' at the end provides a pleasant sound. Milena has a sonorous and elegant character, sounding modern, friendly, and present.

When is the name day of Milena?

The name days for Milena are celebrated on April 9, April 21, and September 15. In the Czech Republic, there is a special commemorative day on January 24.

Popularity

In Germany, the name Milena enjoys great popularity and currently ranks 128th on the list of the most common female first names. Its best ranking was in 2010 at 72nd place. In the last ten years, Milena has been given as a first name about 7,000 times, placing it 106th in the ten-year statistics. From 2010 to 2024, it ranks 96th.

Nicknames & pet names

Ena / Ilena / Ina / Lee / Lena / Lenchen / Leni / Lina / Maileina / Maleina / Marlene / Meli / Melle / Melli / Melone / Mena / Meni / Mi / Mia / Miichen / Mil / Mila / Milchen / Milchi / Mile / Mileani / Milenchen / Mileni / Milenica / Milenka / Mileno / Milens / Milensa / Milenschka / Milenzie / Miley / Milina / Milka / Milla / Mille / Milli / Millinski / Millivanilli / Milna / Milschki / Milusch / Miläänaa / Mimi / Mina / Mini / Mümelchen / Nena

Similar first names

Famous people

• Milena Agus (Italian writer)
• Milena Baisch (German writer)
• Milena Canonero (Italian costume designer)
• Milena Cordelia Wege (actress)
• Milena Dravić (Serbian actress)
• Milena Dreißig (German actress)
• Milena Duchková (* 1952, former Czechoslovak diver)
• Milena Dvorska (Czech actress)
• Milena Gnad (author)
• Milena Greppi (hurdler from Italy)
• Milena Jesenská (translator of Franz Kafka)
• Milena Karas (German actress)
• Milena Knezevic (handball player from Montenegro)
• Milena Kunis (actress)
• Milena Markovna Kunis (actress from the United Kingdom)
• Milena Mesa (Cuban handball player)
• Milena Milani (Italian artist)
• Milena Moser (Swiss writer (The Cleaning Ladies' Island))
• Milena Nikolova (American writer)
• Milena Nikolowa (Bulgarian writer)